The Astrology Podcast

Episode: No, Your Zodiac Sign Hasn’t Changed
Host: Chris Brennan
Date: October 30, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Chris Brennan directly responds to widespread media claims suggesting that people's zodiac signs have changed due to astronomical phenomena like precession. He unpacks the historical and philosophical background of astrological zodiacs, explains why these news stories are misleading, and argues for the intentionality and legitimacy of the tropical zodiac used in Western astrology. The episode is designed to equip astrology enthusiasts, skeptics, and newcomers alike with historical context and conceptual clarity.

Key Discussion Points

1. Media Claims & Their Recurrence

• Recurring Sensationalism

  • News outlets recycle claims every few years (00:48), such as “Your zodiac sign is wrong” or “NASA changed the zodiac,” often based on misunderstanding precession or zodiac frameworks.
  • Example: The phenomenon made mainstream headlines in 2011, 2016, and 2020, each time with a slightly different twist but repeating the same core misconceptions.

• Chris’s Critique of the Rhetoric

  • Chris describes these articles as a “rhetorical strategy, not genuine education, meant to introduce doubt and confusion about astrology rather than inform.” (03:25)
  • He notes these stories target people who already believe in astrology and undermine their trust subtly.

2. The Zodiacs: Constellational, Sidereal, Tropical

Historical Development (06:00–18:00)

• Origin in Mesopotamia

  • Early astrology was based on tracking the wandering planets against a background of fixed stars—hence “planet” meaning “wandering star.” (07:08)
  • The earliest zodiac was constellational, marked by unequal star groupings (~17+ recognized constellations).

• Standardization to 12 Signs

  • By the 5th century BCE, Mesopotamians moved to a sidereal zodiac of 12 equal 30° signs—an abstract framework partly aligning with the calendar and seasons (08:11).

• The Birth of Natal Astrology

  • Around this standardization, they developed natal astrology—the idea that planetary positions at birth are significant (09:00).

• The Hellenistic Synthesis

  • In 2nd century BCE Hellenistic Egypt, disparate traditions merged; astrology became an integrated system focusing on planets, signs, aspects, and houses.
  • The tropical zodiac aligns zodiac signs with solstices and equinoxes, rooting the system in the cycle of seasons—especially those in the Northern Hemisphere (13:00).

Notable Quote:

“Already, once you go from the constellational zodiac to the sidereal zodiac, you’re starting to create a construct that has more symbolic significance, rather than something that’s purely being based on mapping things to the stars exactly, one for one.” — Chris Brennan (09:55)

3. Why the Tropical Zodiac?

Philosophical and Practical Rationale (16:30–24:00)

• Seasonal Symbolism
  • The assignment of planetary “rulerships” (e.g., Sun to Leo, Moon to Cancer) is based on seasonal symbolism. The tropical zodiac made these links explicit—signs anchor to solstices and equinoxes.
  • Modalities (cardinal, fixed, mutable) also draw meaning from the season’s phase the sign falls in, further rooting Western astrology in seasonal (tropical) rather than stellar (sidereal) phenomena.

Notable Quote:

"The tropical zodiac then becomes focused on these concepts of light and heat and specifically the seasons, rather than connecting it with the constellations." — Chris Brennan (18:30)

4. The Issue of Precession

Discovery and Consequences (26:40–36:00)

• Hipparchus and Precession

  • Precession—the gradual drift between the tropical (seasonal) and sidereal (stellar) zodiacs—was discovered by Hipparchus in the 2nd century BCE and confirmed by Ptolemy in the 2nd century CE.

• Astrologers’ Deliberate Choice

  • Chris explains that Ptolemy, a towering figure in both astrology and astronomy, made a deliberate choice for the tropical system given its conceptual fit—NOT out of ignorance.

Notable Quotes:

“Astrologers have been aware of precession for 2,000 years now… This wasn't like an accidental thing, that this was a deliberate choice based on what they thought made the most conceptual sense.” — Chris Brennan (33:12)

“If Ptolemy or other astrologers had adopted completely different names or had modified the names in some way, then maybe there wouldn’t be an issue of confusion in the future…” — Chris Brennan (35:44)

5. Historical Choices: East Versus West

Indian (Vedic) Astrology and Sidereal System (36:40–41:00)

• Indian Nakshatras and the Sidereal Zodiac

  • Indian astrology’s roots in the lunar Nakshatras anchored their zodiac system to fixed stars.
  • After contact with Hellenistic ideas, Indian astrologers maintained their sidereal system to preserve continuity with Nakshatra traditions.

• Cultural Divergence

  • Western astrology (after Ptolemy) became tropical; Indian astrology remained sidereal—both knowingly and purposefully, not mistakenly.

6. The Tradition of Deliberate Practice

Astrologers and Astronomers: Informed Use (41:00–45:50)

• Historical Figures
  • Kepler, Galileo, Copernicus—all prominent astronomers and practicing astrologers—understood precession and continued using the tropical zodiac for predictive work.
  • Astrologers historically advised kings, made predictions in life-or-death scenarios, and were serious professionals, not ignorant of astronomical realities.

Notable Quote:

“You have astrologers that are practicing astrology in a high stakes environment... they are aware of the difference between the sidereal and the tropical zodiac, but they're deliberately choosing to use the tropical zodiac because they believe that that is the most effective system...” — Chris Brennan (43:18)

7. Debunking the Ophiuchus & “Sign Change” Myths

• “My Zodiac Sign Is One Off” (47:00–48:15)
  • If Western astrologers deliberately define tropical signs by seasons, “the tropical signs of the zodiac have not changed.”
• Ophiuchus as ‘13th Sign’
  • The idea only applies if you are using the constellational or sidereal zodiacs; it’s irrelevant for tropical astrology, which divides the ecliptic into 12 equal 30° signs.

8. The Real Point of Skeptical Reporting

• Underlying Rhetoric and Motivation (49:00–53:00)
  • Articles like the NYT piece don’t really want to instruct readers about “correct” zodiac signs, but instead aim to undercut belief in astrology as a whole.
  • Chris recognizes the motivation for skepticism in public science communication but objects to misleading tactics:

    “It bothers me that in an attempt to defend the scientific worldview... you would have to use a misleading argument... which leaves out major things about why astrologers do what they do, the deliberateness of it, and the defendable parts of that.” (52:27)

9. Internal Astrological Debates

• Should Astrologers Use Sidereal, Tropical, or Constellational? (54:00–56:00)
  • Chris acknowledges these are meaningful debates within the field, but they are separate from the misleading mainstream narratives.
  • He emphasizes the importance of informed practitioners responding with historical knowledge.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Seasonal Rationale
  “The starting point is associating [Cancer and Leo] with the two brightest parts of the year in the Northern Hemisphere... part of the motivation was seasonal considerations.” (15:49)

• On Professional Deliberation
  “Generations and generations of intelligent people have been making a deliberate decision to use the tropical zodiac—not just by tradition, but by reason and conviction.” (45:42)

• On Media Narratives “So when they say that your zodiac sign is out of date or your zodiac sign is wrong, what they're really trying to say is just ‘astrology is wrong,’ and they're trying to convince people of this through a roundabout method.” (50:48)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• 00:48 — Pattern of media myths about “sign changes”
• 06:00 — Explanation of the origin of the zodiac(s)
• 13:00 — The role of the seasons and the tropical zodiac
• 26:40 — Hipparchus, Ptolemy, and The Discovery of Precession
• 33:12 — Astrologers’ deliberate adoption of the tropical zodiac
• 36:40 — Indian astrology and the sidereal zodiac
• 41:00 — Famous astronomers knowingly using the tropical zodiac
• 47:00 — Why “your sign has changed” is inaccurate
• 49:00 — The rhetorical aim of skeptical articles
• 54:00 — The value of internal debate in astrology

Conclusion

Chris Brennan reiterates that Western astrologers have intentionally used the tropical zodiac for over 2,000 years, understanding both the scientific and philosophical implications of precession and zodiac frameworks. The recent spate of articles purporting that “your sign has changed” are not educational corrections, but rhetorical moves intended to undermine astrology as a discipline. Chris urges astrologers and enthusiasts to understand the complex, deliberate history of astrological practice and to question misleading narratives—whether from the media or within the field.

For more resources or to join the conversation, see the episode page on YouTube or The Astrology Podcast website.